The door has hardly closed behind the physician, when Mohammed bounds from his bed. "Now I am no longer il! The time for action has come!" He calls one of his Nubian slaves. "Hasten, my Saneb--hasten to the camp of the Mameluke beys. You will find them near Petresin, on the banks of the Nile. Seek Osman Bey Bardissi, and say to him: 'The time has come; await, beside the great Pyramid at Gheezeh, him with whom you conversed there two weeks since; await him there with all his forces.' Have you understood me? Repeat my words." The Nubian repeated what he had said, word for word. "And now hasten away, time is precious, and my message is important." Hardly had the Nubian departed, when messengers came to summon Mohammed to the citadel, to Taher Pacha, the new caimacan. With a profound bow, Mohammed replies that he will immediately do himself the honor of waiting on the caimacan. He calls his servants to his assistance, and puts on his gala uniform, mounts his splendidly-caparisoned steed, and, followed by a small body-guard of eight men, gallops through the streets to the citadel. Taher Pacha, reclining on Cousrouf s cushions and smoking his chibouque, receives Mohammed with lively manifestations of delight. "See what a man can make of himself, Mohammed? Here I lie, smoking Cousrouf's chibouque on Cousrouf's cushions!" "I congratulate you on your magnificence, and hope you may long repose there." "It is to be hoped that I shall," replied Taher Pacha. "Fortune smiles on the daring. Had you been bold enough, you might now be in my place, Mohammed Ali; but you probably shrank from incurring the risk. I acted boldly, you perceive, and mine is now the viceroy's crown. Why did you not grasp it? you needed but to stretch forth your hand." "And you did grasp it. Allah was gracious to you. I dared not; it seemed too far from me. And then, I admit, my head is too small for so heavy an ornament!" "I feel strong enough to bear this burden," said Taher, laughing, "and now that I have it, I shall also know how to secure myself in its possession. All Cairo already recognizes me in my new dignity, and your recognition is now alone wanting, Mohammed Ali." "I bow in all humility before the caimacan, and shall also recognize him as viceroy as soon as an answer is received from Stamboul." Taher smiled graciously. "And now receive my first instructions, sarechsme. Send messengers to the Mameluke beys, I desire to make peace with them; I wish them to be my friends. We have had bloodshed enough. United with the Mamelukes, we shall be able to defy our Turkish enemies." "I am of the same opinion," replied Mohammed, bowing profoundly. "Then carry out my instructions at once." "Your command shall be obeyed without delay," replied Mohammed, as he turned and left the apartment.